Employers

Commuting is becoming a more stressful and costly part of an employee’s work day. As a business leader, one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways you can help your employees save money, as well as help reduce traffic congestion, is to provide an employee commute program that encourages transportation options such as biking, riding a bus, ridesharing (carpool and vanpooling), telework and walking to work.

Improve your employees' commute options - boost your business by:

Improving productivity and morale – Employees will come to work more relaxed and ready to work if they do not have to worry about the stresses of traffic, finding a parking spot and increasing gas prices.

Attracting and keeping the best employees – The ease and cost of commuting is a key consideration for employees and new hires when assessing a position.

Earning federal and state tax breaks – Commute benefits that offer a subsidy to employees can be federal and state business tax deductions.

Enhancing your company's image – Customers and clients notice when a company takes action to support employees and reduce their carbon footprint.

Relieving pressure on parking and traffic congestion – Create more parking spaces for customers/clients and improve mobility on our City streets.

Resources to help your company get started

Use the following resources to help you get started:

Mini-Grants- Please note: This program has closed for 2016. Thank you to all applicants! Stay tuned for potential new rounds in the future. The 2016 program was outlined as follows:Choose Your Way Bellevue has up to $8000 per employer in mini-grant funding available to help support Bellevue employers and property managers in improving their commute trip reduction programs to their Bellevue worksites. The mini-grants will be distributed through a competitive application process. The mini-grants can be used by employers and property managers in a number of different ways. Learn more about eligibility, program requirements, view a list of project ideas and find an application here.

2016 ORCA Passport Rebates- Property Managers and Employers that start a new ORCA Passport Program are eligible for a rebate on ORCA Passport products. Rebates of $50 per pass in the first year and $100 per pass in the second year for up to 100 passes are available to employers and property managers of worksites located within Bellevue city limits. Choose Your Way Bellevue will accept ORCA passport agreements signed after 4/1/16 while the program lasts or until funds are depleted. Click
here for details or contact Choose Your Way Bellevue staff.

Employer Commuter Incentive Program - Please note: This program is on hiatus until early 2017. Stay tuned for a relaunching of the program.Choose Your Way Bellevue wants to get your workplace moving! Our recently launched employer incentive program encourages non-drive-alone commuting, such as transit, carpooling, biking, walking, vanpooling and telework. We’re offering recurring incentives to employers that encourage employee participation in our RideshareOnline.com ride matching and trip logging incentive program.

WorkSmart - A King County program that provides workplace strategies to help companies increase employee productivity, improve business continuity and contribute to environmental sustainability through alternative work options.